Ka-Ching in the Ka-Church

In Nigeria, Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel has accumulated US$150 million. He is currently selling 2 of his 4 jets.

He is not selling his jets because of the recent documentaries that criticize his lifestyle for being “at odds with the poverty and helplessness that exists” in the communities he operates in, or the pressure from other megachurch pastors who did not make the Forbes Richest List like Bishop David. No, he is downsizing simply because of the “high maintenance costs” of those jets.

Yeah, I can relate . . .  NOT! I got outbid on an auction this week for a 45 year old beat up Land Rover and the Nigerians are emailing ME for money????????

Freely1

Anyone else think its time for Reformation in the church? Here’s some interesting quotes on the Ka-Ching in the Ka-Church:

“Pentecostals understand that their worship is the ‘show’ that brings in the punters, who then buy the merchandise,”

Kate Mannix, editor of Online Catholic, from “God’s Millionaires: Pentecostal churches are not waiting to inherit the earth. They are taking it now, tax-free.” Business Review Weekly Magazine, Australian.

 

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“The Scriptures forbid charging for ministry . . . in any circumstance or situation. It is that black and white.”

Steve Camp, musician and reformer, Peddling the Word of God for profit . . . should we be charging for ministry? Nov, 2011.

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“Many of these ministers have made themselves multi-millionaires. They are no more than business magnates who benefit from the tax-free status of corporations that they lead. They are not ‘pastors’ but business managers who have cashed in on a loophole in the Western governmental tax system.”

Philip Powell, Pentecostal preacher, former general-secretary of the AOG, God’s Millionaires

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“I’ve seen more money stolen in the name of God than any other way. . . . Seven out of 10 of our cases involve affinity fraud, and in the South, probably 40% to 50% have a religious angle.”

Joseph Borg, Alabama securities commissioner and a past president of the North American Securities Administrators Association, Wall Street Journal, Oct 21, 2011, in an article about Bishop Eddie Long’s “Ponzi scheme” lawsuit.

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“They teach the people that it is more helpful to give such hypocrites bodily alms, than to give it to poor needy men after the Gospel. And thus they deceive the people in belief, and rob them of temporal goods.

John Wyclif, On Vain Traditions

John Wyclif was so p**d off at the corruption in the church that he translated the Scriptures and started a Reformation. But that was a long time ago. Since then, the church discovered sneaky ways to get rich again. It replaced greedy monks with greedy preachers. It re-instituted the heresy of tithing and convinced the laity that clergy were professional executives, a higher breed who deserved a high class lifestyle. Shepherds became salesmen and their flocks became unthinking consumers. And then Ka-ching in the Ka-church became so normal and acceptable, and unaccountable, that the church was unable to reform itself.

Blinded by their dollar bills and unable to hear God’s voice in all matters financial, the church turned into green sludge. So God began to raise up secular spokespeople and worldly organizations to bring the much needed reform in His church. This is where we are today. Sad story but I think a happy ending is on its way.

Recommended: All that Glitters is not Gold [Lausanne]

Andrew

Andrew Jones launched his first internet space in 1997 and has been teaching on related issues for the past 20 years. He travels all the time but lives between Wellington, San Francisco and a hobbit home in Prague.

9 Comments

  • Bill Kinnon says:

    Amen, and I say it again, amen.

  • Wow this is so sad and evil. The corruption of the church is coming from the inside out not the outside culture in.

  • A.J. Swoboda says:

    Andrew,
    Thanks as always for your lucid writing and prophetic critique.
    As a Pentecostal scholar (yes, I agree, sounding oxy-moronic), this is a troubling trend in the Pentecostal world. Faith-healing and the stealing of land, souls, and pocketbooks. I hate using such language, but it is rather problematic. Being a Pentecostal, there is a better way to do things. Humility, simplicity, and the like.
    Nonetheless, the article you write here picks up some major problems.
    Thanks for it.
    A.J.

  • Andrew says:

    Hey, AJ, we have the same initials. Thanks for posting. I included Philip Powell’s quote in the post because i think its really important to have Pentecostals speak out. Appreciate your voice also.

  • Simon Cozens says:

    Why go as far as Nigeria?
    Franklin Graham earns $535,000 a year from his full-time job at Samaritan’s Purse and $669,000 a year from his full-time job at the Billy Graham Evangelical Assocation. It’s good to be CEO of two charities at once.
    Especially since, as charities, both organizations are of course tax-exempt – obviously if they gave money to fund, you know, civilized society, there wouldn’t be quite so much to devote to ministry. (And executive salaries.)

  • Andrew says:

    sounds a little high . . .
    good conversation on that topic, with both pros and cons, here http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.comments&orgid=4423
    although MinistryWatch awards an “A” Rating to both Sam. Purse and BGEA which is a good sign.
    http://www.ministrywatch.com/profile/samaritans-purse-operation-christmas-child.aspx

  • Andrew says:

    actually it appears 2009 was a blip on the screen for a number of reasons. Read this http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2009/10/franklin_graham_moves_to_addre.html
    There seems to be a high level of accountability and transparency in both these organizations . . .
    whereas . .
    on the other hand . .
    and brings us back to the subject at hand . .
    there are individuals out there cashing in on their congregations and nobody is stopping them. this brings shame on the whole body of Christ, jeopardizing the current tax provisions that assist the ministries, and making it really hard to share about the way of Christ.
    thats the problem

  • Acidri says:

    He he! You gotta love these guys. They just ado not hide their love for money. Even milking congregants in the name of God without batting an eye lid. no wonder the congregants resort to writing anonymous letters soliciting for bank details in a bid to catch unsuspecting lottery loving heathen. He he!

  • Jason says:

    Amen and amen. Think of how much the world landscape would change if the Church truly rendered unto Ceaser.

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